The Toadfish siblings have been discussing Pastafarianism as an actual religion, whether or not moral codes are possible without religion, truly gnarly potables, prospective novices, coping with establishment and medicinal herbs.

If you have a spiritual bent (and we mean bent), a good sense of humor and would like to hone your humbler sensibilities, please feel free to drop me a PM with any questions about FSM's Honorable Order of Toadfish.

Deep down in the murky depths of the venganza forums sits a little monastery full of Toadfish siblings, all practicing diplomacy and humbleness while animatedly discussing philosophy, creativity, absurdity, spirituality, medicine, and whatever else may be on our minds. Sometimes we have nothing on our minds and we discuss that, too. If you can make sense of that last statement you may all ready be Toadfish material. To find out more, you need only to hit the PM button at the bottom of this message and ask.

This past month the monastery has welcomed some new siblings. We've gone through rather a silly, playful period which peaked right around the time when everything went Pepto Bismol pink here in the main forums and several of us grew whiskers.

Now, as we're moving away from the Time of the Bunny, we are suddenly back into some deep spiritual discussions again. Maybe we just needed fresh batteries from the Energizer Bunny.

If you hear the call to be in an FSM-based cloistered environment, you may send me a private message for details on how to join the Honorable Order of Toadfish Monastery. Thank you.

Lots of stuff going on down in the Toadfsh Cloisters. We've added another moderator, some outstanding new members (or Siblings, as we call ourselves) and a Mess Hall for creative gastronomy. The spirituality and book review sections have been especially active recently.

The Honorable Order of Toadfish is a section of the forums visible only to members. It is a place of mutual respect, to which all frequent and loquacious forum visitors are invited if they take our vow of humbleness and stick to it whilst within the monastery walls. If you like to discuss things in a civil manner, do send a PM and let me know you'd like to be considered for the Honorable Order of Toadfish.

The Honorable Order of Toadfish Monastery has been in the process of Spring cleaning (or Fall cleaning for those in the southern hemisphere). We have been very honorably debating our processes of induction to our order, so that they might be as fair as possible for all concerned. In fact, we are being so fair that we've practically driven ourselves nuts, but we know it will be all for the best when we have achieved satisfaction. Then we'll all have a big, fat cigar and begin welcoming new novices in.

We most humbly appreciate the patience of any outstanding novices as we go through this process.

The Toadfish Monastery has been quite awash with humble opinions and how to express them in a diplomatic fashion this past month. Finally, however, we managed to straighten things out and get back into the spiritual business of deeply contemplating our unshod toes and talking to trees.

We now have an polling process in place by which we elect new members. It is far more strict than our previous method. The reason for this is that we have come to value the peace of our sanctuary and wish to protect it. Prospective novices may still apply through my Private message box, but may now have to prove themselves by way of dedication to humbleness. Each prospective novice must wait in turn for review, which takes about a week once one's name comes up. At this writing we have four in line (after which we'll take a short break), which means that if you applied today, it would be at least a month before we could get back to you. I am sorry for the delay, but it has been decided that slowly is the way to go.

Anyone not making it in at first can certainly re-apply after a while. This is certainly the case where very newly registered people have applied and we don't have enough posted material to yet form an educated opinion on the applicant.

Sir Francis Drake wrote: get back into the spiritual business of deeply contemplating our unshod toes and talking to trees.

To avoid any misunderstanding (that's really a thin skin of an excuse for a gratuitous reply), I'd like to add that neither of those is a requirement. I myself rather dislike my unshod toes and prefer the backs of my hands. Also, I rarely initiate conversations with trees anymore (I believe they prefer to choose when to enter into a conversation, and with whom), but I have spent a very enjoyable time teaching several trees to dance (It was a high ropes course - they dance very beautifully).

Thank you for reading this irrelevant insertion.

Yours in humility,

Sibling Quasimodo.

Laughing in the rain.
Dancing in the desert sand,
Somersaults through life.

Sir Francis Drake wrote: get back into the spiritual business of deeply contemplating our unshod toes and talking to trees.

To avoid any misunderstanding (that's really a thin skin of an excuse for a gratuitous reply), I'd like to add that neither of those is a requirement. I myself rather dislike my unshod toes and prefer the backs of my hands. Also, I rarely initiate conversations with trees anymore (I believe they prefer to choose when to enter into a conversation, and with whom), but I have spent a very enjoyable time teaching several trees to dance (It was a high ropes course - they dance very beautifully).

Thank you for reading this irrelevant insertion.

Yours in humility,

Sibling Quasimodo.

Hmmmm, yes. I was going to write "contemplate our navels" but was concerned that that might imply nudity. Of course, belonging to the Pastafarian society, the Toadfish have flimsy moral standards and can opt for nudity if they see fit. I see myself as unfit for much nudity any more these days, as I tend to lose my keys and the occasional chihuahua in the rolls of my flab. I'm not even sure I still am in possession of a navel. But as most of the monks prefer going sandal-free, I thought that toes might be a safe bet.

As for the trees, I'm sure you're right about at least making sure they're interested in you enough to start up a friendship before waking them up to talk at all hours. Please invite me to your next tree dance. I would very much like to learn a step or two.

The monastery has been very active during the past month. We have been discussing religion, lighting candles for loved ones and worldy causes, investigating official ordinations for FSM ministers (still working on it!), breeding octopodes, maintaining a balance between sanity and insanity, and voting on new novices. In fact, we have devoted so much time to our new polling process that we've decided to take a voting sabbatical until September, so we can re-focus on monastic meditations.

Our monastery is built on the ideal of humbleness. We believe that the attitude of "I am no better than you and you are no better than I" opens up communication and keeps things from cycling into a series of pointless insults which don't help anyone. The Siblings (we are male, female and, er... undecided) maintain mutual respect with gentle reminders and the occasional frying pan to the frontal lobes.

Even though we will not be accepting new novices until September, we would be glad to hear from you if you are interested in joining us. Please reply here or send me a PM, using the button on the bottom of this box.

The trees also must sometimes think I'm talking to them when I walk my dog, but I can assure them that I'm just talking to myself.

I am so gald to know that insanity is normal- I've suffered alone for years but now thanks to FSM and Bobby I just know that I am normal- I talk to the copier at work and they all yell from the other room
"cut that language out!" well now they should feel stupid because they can't speak copier language and I can

My mantra
Just save the farkin Gorillas will you! They don't have spell check- but they do need YOU/US...
www.gorillafund.org

I Ned Speil Cheek!!!!!!!!

I'm *not* the lowest rank on this ship. What about the laboratory mice? I tell them something and they jump straight to it. "Yes, Mr. Lister Sir, eek,eek."

The HOT monastery has enjoyed a month of rest, relaxation and meditation. We have given council and comfort to eachother during times of mourning and discombobulation, and have given generous enthusiasm and cheer for life's glimmering triumphs. Life goes on.

Now we're gearing up for September and re-starting the novice review process for prospective members of our order. A couple are in the offing all ready.

There are two ways to join the Honorable Order of Toadfish. One way is to be nominated by an existing member. Another is to send me a PM telling me why you are interested. In either case, we have a review period followed by a vote, to make sure that all Siblings are comfortable with the new novice. Forum members who have been contributing for a while are easier for us to know and discuss, so we do ask that if you are new to the forums, to wait and post for a couple of months at least before asking to join, so we'll have something to go by.

3) Since this is a sanctuary, weâ€™d like to keep things civil. We are here to guide ourselves toward better communication skills using the tools of patience and humbleness. As we are human, we may occasionally slip up and fall on our faces, but this should be met with understanding and guidance on the part of the others and if the perpetrator is contrite and asks forgiveness, it shall be given. If however, problems persist, it is understood that the matter will be taken up privately with perpetrator, Aunt DeeDee and myself, and a quiet excommunication is possible. "

I am happy to say that we have not yet had any excommunications! I hope we never will. We are a respectful siblinghood of individual minds, whom I, for one, cherish very dearly.